Thirty-five years ago, Taco Cabana opened its first restaurant in Midtown San Antonio. Soon, that original location will be the center of attention as Taco Cabana celebrates 35 years as the “Original Mexican Patio Café” and the grand re-opening of its newly remodeled first location.
To...

The fast-casual category has been the fastest-growing restaurant segment over the past two years, according to market research firm Technomic, as operators in the category continue to effectively balance higher-quality, convenient foods with a more upscale environment.
This success has come even as...

Take-and-bake pizza chain Papa Murphy’s is on the search for a way to create a stronger brand image, and it’s doing just that with its new CREATE store design.
The new restaurant model puts a spotlight on both personalization and transparency—literally—with an open kitchen layout that lets guests...

After years of working in the furniture industry and spending time owning, operating, and eventually selling his stores, Paul Childers entered the quick-serve world in 2009 when a hot tip from a good friend turned Childers on to a new pizza concept called Your Pie.
Today, Childers’s two franchised...

In the quick-service industry, the path to success is straightforward: offering good-tasting, quality food prepared quickly in a clean and courteous environment. Companies that focus on the fundamentals of meeting these needs—hiring the right people, emphasizing teamwork, and meeting the evolving...

Chipotle Mexican Grill launched “The Scarecrow,” an arcade-style adventure game for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, along with a companion animated short film of the same name.
Both the game and the film depict a scarecrow’s journey to bring wholesome food back to the people by providing an...

Quick-service operators are launching seasonal menu items earlier this fall in an effort to beat their competition to the punch. From pumpkin doughnuts to caramel apple frozen yogurt, fall-flavored menu items are popping up across the industry even before the season has officially begun.
“We...

Two Madres Mexican Kitchen, the latest concept by the Galardi Group, offering a fresh and healthy twist on traditional Mexican food, announced the opening of its first fast-casual restaurant located in Mission Viejo, California.
With an emphasis on bold flavor profiles and customizable options, Two...

Pairing Colombia-sourced espresso with a cold-pressed carrot-pineapple juice may sound counterintuitive, but for Verve Coffee Roasters, the combination was a no-brainer. The Los Angeles–based operator partnered with another local quick serve, Juice Served Here, to open a 1,600-square-foot combo...

Del Taco, which has been serving breakfast for more than 30 years, is offering a Bacon Grilled Breakfast: a fresh take on a meal favorite with a limited time deal that bacon lovers won’t want to miss. Available now at participating locations, guests can purchase two Bacon Breakfast Tacos plus...

When Tom Ferguson wanted to develop a burger food truck, he had a few advantages. By working out of his existing facility at Durham Catering Co. in Durham, North Carolina, he had ready access to a kitchen, staff, and equipment. It’s the same way he tested a now-shelved pasta concept and then...

Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, announced today the signing of a multi-unit store development agreement with a new franchise group, Donut World, LLC, to develop two Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants and one combination restaurant with its sister brand, Baskin-Robbins...

When Salsa Fiesta opened its sixth domestic location last month, it rolled out a hybrid service model: quick serve for weekday lunches and full-service dining for evenings and weekends. Prior to opening the newest store in Miami Lakes, Florida, the Mexican concept had exclusively used limited...

Dating back to 2009, Steak ‘n Shake has attained 24 consecutive quarters of same-store sales increases. This sales growth has been propelled almost exclusively by a nearly 40 percent cumulative growth in customer traffic.

Dog Haus, a Southern California–based hot dog concept, is in the final stages of implementing self-service beer stations in two locations. The self-serve iPour system allows customers to pay for a pre-loaded card and make their selections on an iPad attached to beer stations in the store.

What can I possibly tell you about potatoes, dear quick-serve industry professional, that you don’t already know? It’s not as though you’re unacquainted with America’s favorite starch. You may even know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest food crop, trailing behind only rice, corn, and wheat,...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Having started as a sandwich maker with Subway when he was 18 years old, Gurpreet Singh has spent nearly half his life in the quick-service industry. Now a Checkers franchisee, Singh has spent time in every quick-serve job imaginable: line worker, manager, general manager, and, today, franchisee....

Like much of the rest of the economy, the 2008 economic meltdown brought a massive slow-down to the quick-service franchise industry. The combination of tightfisted money lenders and general economic uncertainty put franchise businesses in a near impossible position when it came to accessing...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...